Dump-cart.



No- 835,999. 'PATENTED'NDV. 13, 1906.

L. H. YOUNG. DUMP CART,-

APPLIOATION FILED SEPTulQ. 1905.

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DUMP CART.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1905. v

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZQ H. YOUNG, OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ADELAIDE M. YOUNG, OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

DUMP-CART.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 19, 1905. Serial No. 279,165.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZO H. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Martinsburg, in the county of Berkeley and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dump-Carts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic dumpcarts.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby the body will not only tilt backward when released to dump the load, but, will automatically return to its normal position after'the load is dumped.

Another object is to provide an automatic ally opening and closing gate which in closing will swing the cart-body back to its normal position.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the body in normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the body tilted to dump the load. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the cart in dumping position. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the tail-gate. Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the latch mechanism, and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the rock-shaft for releasing the latch.

The frame of the vehicle comprises the shafts or thills 1, connected at their rear ends by the bolster 2 and in advance thereof by a cross-bar 3. An axle 4 is suitably fixed beneath the bolster and carries the supporting- Wheels 5.

The body 6 is pivotally mounted upon the frame immediately in rear of the bolster 2, as indicated at 7, the pivotalpoint being arranged slightly in rear of the transverse center of the body, as shown. The body is closed at its front end and open at its rear end and preferably increases gradually in depth toward the forward end, so that the weight of the load will be so distributed as to relieve the strain upon the latch mechanism, which holds the body in normal position. The latch mechanism comprises a beveled latch-hook 8, carried by a spring-arm 9, fixed at its upper end to the front of the body, said latch being adapted to engage a metallic kee er member 10, carried by the cross-bar 3, sai keeper member having a beveled face 10*, over which the latch-hook rides when moving into locking position. rock-shaft 11 is journaled in bearings 12 upon the projecting front ends of the sills of the body and is provided with a hook-shaped finger 13, adapted whensaid shaft is swung outwardly to engage the free end of the arm 9 and force the latch out of engagement with the keeper 10, thus releasin the body. and permitting it to tilt rearwar ly to dump the load. The shaft 11 is provided with terminal crank-handles 14, projecting at opposite sides beyond the body to adapt it to be manipulated from either side.

Fixed. to the rear end of the shafts or thills 1 are supporting-arms 15, which project upwardly and rearwardly and terminate at their upper rear ends above the rear end ofthe body. Said upper rear ends of the supporting-arms are connected by and support a transverse rod or bar 16, from which an end gate 17 is pivotally supported by hinge-straps '5 3 Atransverse 18. Thegate 17 is adapted to close the rear end of the body when the latter is in its normal position and is provided with end plates 19, adapted to lap over upon the sides of the body and form a close joint to prevent the escape of any of the load. The lower portion of the gate is connected by pivoted leverarms or links 20 to the upper portions of the sides of the body, the forward ends of said lever-arms being connected to the body at a point slightly in advance of the transverse center of the same.

Owing to the fact that the preponderance of weight of the body is at the forward end thereof and to the further fact that the weight of the gate 17 is transferred to such portion of the body through the lever-arms 20, the rear end of the body is overbalanced when the said body is rearwardly tilted or in dumping position, thus adapting it to automatically swing by ravity to its normal position. This overba ancing effect of the front portion of the body is to some extent overcome when the body is in its normal position, owing to the fact that when the gate 20 is in closed position its Weight is transferred to the rear portion of the body, thus adapting the body when in normal position to be approximately balanced. When the latch 8 is released, however, and the front end of the body slightly tilted up, the load shifts rearwardly and its weight is gradually transmitted to the rear of the body, thus adapting it to tilt rearwardly to dump the lo ad.

When the body is tilted for the dumping operation, the gate 17 is opened and elevated,

and when the load is discharged the weight of the gate and the leverage exerted thereby is transferred to the forward portion of the body, and as the latter normally overb alances the rear portion thereof the body will automatically swing back to its normal position and may be positively locked in such position by forcing the forward end slightly downward to bring the latch member 8 into engagement with the keeper member 10.

It will be apparent that the described construction and mode of operation of the parts permit the load to be automatically dumped while the cart is in motion and without the necessity of stopping to restore the body to its normal position, thus saving valuable time and labor in grading and filling operations.

Having thus described'the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A dumpcart comprising shafts, a bolster mounted upon the rear ends of the shaft, an axle carried by the bolster and provided with supporting-wheels,' a body pivotally mounted upon the bolster in rear of the axle and having a normally overbalanoed forward end, arms fixed at their forward ends to the shafts in advance of the pivotal connection of the body and curved upwardly therefrom and terminating at their rear ends above the rear end of the body, a rod supported by the free ends ofthe arms, a tail-gate having hangers pivotally engaging said rod, and leverarms pivoted at their rear ends to the lower edge of the gate and curving upwardly and forwardly therefrom, said arms being attached at their forward ends to the sides of the body at or near the upper edgesth'ereof' in advance ofthe pivot of the body and" above the forward ends of the fixed arms,

whereby the weight of the gate and the lever- 5' age exerted thereby when the gate is open will be transmitted to said portion of the body to automatically swing the body and gate back to normal position, the respective arms on each side being so arranged as to cross in X fashion when the body is in normal position.

2. A dump-cart comprising a frame, a body pivotally mounted at the rear end of the'frame and having a normally overbalancing forward end, a pair of arms upon each side of the-frame, one of said arms being fixed at its forward end to the frame in advance of the pivotal connection of the body therewith and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom, the other arm being pivoted to the upper portion of the side of the body above the fixed end of the first-named arm, and extending downwardly toward the rear end of the body, said arms being arranged to cross in X fashion when the body is in normal position, a rod supported by the rear end of the fixed arms, and a gate pivotally hung from said rod and pivotally connected at its lower edge with the lower rear ends of the pivoted arms.

3. A dumpingcart comprising a frame having a cross-bar provided with a keeper formed with a beveled face, a body pivotally mounted upon the frame, said body having front sill extensions, a latch comprising a spring-arm fixed at its upper end to the body and provided at its lower end with a hook to" cooperate with said keeper, and a rock-shaft journaled in said sill extensions and provided with an intermediate crank to engagethe free end of the latoh-arm and with terminal crank-arms beyond the sills.

In testimony whereof I- aflix my-signature in presence of two witnesses.

LORENZO H. YOUNG. Witnesses; S. W. WALKER,

W. G. KILMER. 

